1 Billion People Without Adequate Water

[Gauracandra]

Here is a very interesting article:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/03/22/un.water.day.ap/index.html

 

Clean water is the quickest way to improve the health of impoverished nations. I saw an interesting program on 60 Minutes a few years ago, with the inventor Dean Kamen. He invented the Segway scooter. Anyways, he had another invention he was pursuing. Here is a quick CBS article on it:

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/12/60II/main529070.shtml

 

Essentially he was using an invention created in 1816 known as the Stirling Engine. It uses variations in heat patterns to create movement. Here is an article on how they work:

 

http://travel.howstuffworks.com/stirling-engine.htm

 

And here is a company that sells Stirling Engines:

http://www.stirlingengine.com/

 

Dean Kamen realized he could create portable Stirling Engines. I'm not sure what the heat source was, if it was wood burned, or simply changes in air temperature during the day, but the Stirling Engine would drive an engine and pump to purify water. He demonstrated the engine, and said he wanted to create portable units that villages in Africa and other poor areas could use to create clean water to drink and bathe with. I think it sounds like a real workable solution. If he can patent it, and then give the technology away free, then poor countries can build it themselves at much cheaper rates (than if it was built in the U.S. and sold abroad).

[theist]

I saw these images from Haiti a few months back. I forget what the rukus was all about somebody got assainated I think. I can't keep it all straight.

 

The footage was of people gathering water from sewage infested little pools. Oh man could they have used some portable water purifying units.

[Kulapavana]

most (if not all) water purification systems are too high tech and too expensive for people who need clean water in developing countries. I work for a water testing lab and know this area very well. Digging or drilling wells is still the best solution. The amount of money US is wasting on war in Iraq (hundreds of billions of dollars) could have solved the water problem for the vast majority of needy people. wouldn't that be better?

[theist]

 

If he can patent it, and then give the technology away free, then poor countries can build it themselves at much cheaper rates (than if it was built in the U.S. and sold abroad).

 

 

[Kulapavana]

the problem is more than just the cost. the complex purification systems break down quite often and are made useless quickly. (solar stills are maybe an alternative, sailors use them all the time, but their rate of production is quite slow)

 

this approach was tried in many poor countries on small diameter wells with pumps powered by gas motors. it simply does not work in the long run. low-tech is really the only way (hand pumps or large diameter bucket wells).

[theist]

I don'5t understand the mechanics of any of it. But it is a sin that it hasn't been done.

[Guest guest]

The amount of money US is wasting on war in Iraq (hundreds of billions of dollars) could have solved the water problem for the vast majority of needy people. wouldn't that be better?

 

They could even strike a bit a' Texas tea in the process.

 

 

Yep low tech-high connection is the way to go.

The gopis were into low tech well digging and planting fruit trees. Matter of fact that is the way Sri Radha kund manifest.

Left-wing tree-huggin' luna dynasty.

 

Water is definately the big ticket for the future of this fair little rock.

 

Grow trees- dig wells- Vivre la revolution!